The Point of No Return
by R.H. Stevenson
Summary: Over 300 years after Exar Kun's defeat at Yavin IV, Outer Rim Trading Cooperative pilot Kell Brenthes and his co-pilot Dolan Amtar run afoul of his legacy.
1. Prologue

3,996 BBY  
Sith Citadel, Empress Teta

"My Lord, your flagship is ready." The Krath soldier bowed low before Darth Caries as he delivered the announcement.

"Will none of the others join me?" Caries asked quietly, glaring down at the bowed man from beneath the drawn hood of his robes. He added casually, "You may rise."

Shaking his head, the soldier rose. "No, my Lord. They are of the consensus that it is impossible for Master Kun to be in any danger from the Republic forces."

"Fools." The Sith Lord muttered before turning away and purposefully striding towards the open balcony doors. Gripping the railing, he gazed out over the courtyard of the citadel, painted gold in the light of the setting sun, and toyed briefly with the thought of sending this fool soldier hurtling towards it. "Are they really that blind?"

Behind him a wave of fear came rippling out from the soldier. Caries grinned wickedly at it, such delicious fear from one who rightfully feared the power of the Dark Side. But there were more important things at stake now; Exar Kun's life, and quite possibly his power as well. "Signal my flagship and its escorts, we depart for Yavin IV the moment my shuttle arrives."

"Yes, my Lord." There was a definite tone of relief in the soldier's voice as he bowed once more and left the Sith's presence.

Darth Caries looked into the far-off setting sun. The wind stilled and in the dead space the hum of lightsabers clashing rose to his ears: warriors sparring in the courtyard. For a moment, Caries reflected on the saber at his own hip, remembering hunting down his former master at Exar Kun's command. The duel had nearly claimed his life, it had only been through the Dark Side's power that he had emerged victorious. Caries closed his eyes and smiled, relishing the memory of raw power rushing out from him to spear the old fool, using the Force to drain the life and power from her until she fell to the ground little more than an empty husk.

His eyes snapped open and he pivoted on his heel, robes billowing behind him like an angry storm as he strode back into his quarters, then on into the hallway and towards the launch bay. As he walked, the Force spoke to him.

_"You are strong."_ The voice of the Dark Side whispered to him. _"And soon you shall become stronger. First the Brotherhood, then the Jedi, then the Republic, and then the whole galaxy will bow before your power."_

Such glory, such power, such ecstasy that would bring. Him, Darth Caries, the unopposed Dark Lord of the Sith. No, of the Galaxy. Dark Lord of the Galaxy: the Sith'ari. He would destroy this ill-managed rabble and rebuild it into the image of perfection. How blind he had been as a Jedi, how limited he had been before Exar Kun had come and shown him the truth, shown him real power. Caries lit the flame of passion within his heart and let it burn, opening himself to the Dark Side of the Force, bathing in its power, might, and fury.

His meditation of sorts carried him to the launch bay and to the deck of his flagship, the _Corrupter_. It was only after the boarding ramp lowered and the cruiser lurched into hyperspace. Descending the ramp, Darth Caries indicated for his personal guard to go ahead of him to secure the command deck and ensure that the cruiser was traveling as fast as it could, then went to his meditation chamber.

The holocrons welcomed him with a chorus of dark voices. More than a dozen of the pyramid-shaped devices stood on pedestals around the edge of the chamber, almost like sentries for the lone one that sat in the center of the chamber: his own. All of the artifacts had been secretly collected from worlds across the Republic and brought here. Together they had taught him much about darkness, how to control it, and how to use it for his own ends. And in true form, he had fashioned his own, passing his dark knowledge into the metal and crystal structure that would one day stand as a glorious testament to his own greatness.

But there would be time to reflect later. For now, he must discover what lay ahead at Yavin. Wth a casual motion, Caries nearly extinguished the chamber's light, then kneeled on the floor and stretched out his senses into the Force.

Faintly, dimly he could feel the confrontation between the Jedi and his Master. Exar Kun's anger and hate burned like a nova in the channels of the Force, a sharp contrast to the serenity (however forced and controlled) that radiated from the Jedi who approached Yavin. There was something new, though. Something Caries had never thought he would encounter: fear. It subtly tainted the distant Force-enabled knowledge of the Yavin system. Astonishingly enough, it came from his Master. However, in further evidence of Exar Kun's mastery of the Dark Side, the fear fueled his rage, turning it into a most fearsome weapon.

The tremors started small, barely ripples in the currents of the Force. But they grew quickly into great pulses of terror and pain that emanated from the whole of the moon as quite literally all of the lifeforce of Yavin IV was being drawn into Exar Kun. His Master was transcending! He was becoming a being of pure energy, pure Dark Side power, carried on the combined essence of what used to be the biosphere of the moon. The sheer force of it all was astounding.

Then it vanished abruptly, or rather, was overshadowed by a blinding outpouring of power from the Jedi. Some sort of wall of light enveloped the moon, reflecting Exar Kun's power back on him. For a moment it seemed as if there would be a standoff, a balancing of power that would enable him, Darth Caries, to come and rescue his Master, establishing a place as the true apprentice of this incarnation of the Dark Side of the Force. Then Exar Kun faltered. Was flung back against Yavin IV and suffered what only moments before had seemed impossible: death. Exar Kun was dead.

Caries cried out in pain as the full impact of the death swept over him in both Force and mind. "Impossible!" He yelled, trying to convince himself that this was just a Jedi trick, that his Master would rise from the ashes and strike the Jedi down and establish a true Sith Empire in place of the Republic. But the sheer elation and joy that echoed from the Republic forces was the damning evidence. Exar Kun was dead. It was up to him now to exact revenge.

Then a most curious thing happened: the world changed. He suddenly remembered that day, years before when he and nineteen other Jedi had followed Exar Kun to Yavin IV to stop a dark presence that had been sensed on the moon. They had confronted Kun on his apparent involvement, in response to which he had smashed the holocron he carried. Then... then they had joined him. They had suddenly abandoned the Jedi code and followed the ways of the Sith.

_"And you have become strong!" _The Dark Side whispered to Caries. _"You have grasped power which few have ever dreamed of. You are a Dark Lord, the most powerful of those left behind. Seize what your former Master left behind and rule the galaxy!"_

"I..." Conflict raged within him. Was he truly Darth Caries, Dark Lord of the Sith, or was he a fallen Jedi, one who needed to redeem himself. "I don't know."

However, other thoughts pushed to the forefront of his mind. The crew. The Mandalorians who were aboard, and more importantly, the Krath cultists who were aboard would take advantage of this moment of weakness to claim his knowledge and position. That was not acceptable. He had to collect the holocrons, had to collect what he could and escape before this weakness was discovered. Thinking rapidly, Caries reached out through the force and summoned his personal guard. They arrived within minutes.

"Collect the holocrons, all of them, and bring them to my shuttle."

The guards bowed and set to work without a word, gathering the holocrons and marching out of the meditation chamber. Caries followed them, grim-faced and feeling the comfortable weight of his lightsaber in his palm. He had removed it from his belt after calling for his guard and after reaching out through the Force to control the minds of several engineers on bother this ship and the ones accompanying it. It would be a shame to lose these trained crews, but he could always find another later, after he had regained his confidence and strength. Best to let the others of the Brotherhood think that he had been killed by the Republic along with Exar Kun. It would make things simpler, whichever way his path took him now.

"Do you wish us to accompany you, my Lord?" The commander of the guard asked after they had finished placing the holocrons aboard the shuttle.

"Unfortunately, no." The words were spoken without emotion and gave no hint of what was on Caries' mind.

His lightsaber's red blade, however, did.

Three strokes, he reflected hours later as the shuttle raced through hyperspace. Three stroked was all it took to kill all fifteen of them. An unsettling thought, seeing as how they were to have guarded him against any of his fellow Brotherhood who would have tried to kill him. At any rate, he now had all the time he would need to resolve this conflict within himself.

- - - - - -

_Carry on my wayward son,  
There'll be peace when you are done.  
Lay your weary head to rest,  
Don't you cry no more._


	2. Chapter 1: Rumbling on the Horizon

3,628 BBY  
Rena, Kodai

"I was dreaming again."

"So I heard last night. You were making quite a racket yelling and hollering in that whatchacallit language, ah, mango or something like that." Kell waved his spoon around as he spoke, occasionally pointing it in his co-pilot's direction to emphasize a point. "If you want my advice, go into port today and find yourself a medical facility that comes with a psych droid. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours and maybe 20 or 30 creds."

Dolan glared at Kell from under his eyebrows. "You're kidding, right? Psych droid? Besides, who's going to help load the shipment when it arrives?"

Kell laughed, shook his head, then laughed again and took another bite out of his breakfast before replying. "The drop-off crew. Plus I can always rent a few 'lifter droids if it's absolutely necessary. 'Sides, the shipment isn't due to arrive until this evening at the earliest, plenty of time to get out and get help."

Frowning at the choice of words, Dolan sighed. "How about this: I pay a visit to an herbalist I know in this city, she gives me some wonderful drugs that'll keep me from dreaming at night. You get your peace and quiet, and get to keep my self-respect. Plus it's a lot cheaper."

"It's just a suggestion; you don't have to take it so personally." Kell took a drink of his tea and sighed, leaning back in his chair. "All I'm trying to say, Dolan, is that it would be in both of our best interests if you did something to control those dreams."

Absently nodding, Dolan pushed the few remaining uneaten chunks of egg around his plate. "They won't go away that easily. I don't even know if they're dreams or not. More like… memories than dreams."

"Memories? What kind of memories could have you yelling all night in mango?"

"Mando'a. It's called Mando'a." Dolan replied, slightly exasperated, "and it's not dead yet, there's still at least one clan left that speaks it. Besides, if I told you, you'd tell me I've been watching too many bad holo dramas." He speared one of the pieces of egg and ate it, then pointed his fork at Kell. "I still have some dignity left about me."

With a sharp bark of laughter, Kell shook his index finger at Dolan. "No you don't. You lost that on Taris when you..."

Dolan cut him off sharply. "You promised me you'd never bring that up again."

"My apologies," Kell said, holding his hands up in surrender, grinning broadly. "Still, I want to hear about whatever it is that gets you so riled up at night. Even if it is caused by bad holos…"

He never finished his sentence; the intercom the cockpit loudly interrupted him, signaling an incoming transmission. Kell jumped to his feet and dashed off to answer it. His co-pilot shook his head and finished his food, then rising and taking the plate and glass to the reclamation unit and dumping them in.

_"Dolan! Get up to the cockpit now!"_ Kell's voice cut over the intercom. Dolan blinked at stared up at the speaker, he couldn't remember the last time Kell had gotten so worked up over any message they got.

After dumping Kell's dishes into the reclamation unit, he hit the comm button on the wall. "What is it?"

_"Just get up here now."_

"On my way." Dolan punched off the intercom and quickly left the common room, heading forward to the short stairway leading up to the cockpit. "What is it?"

Kell thumped the display screen in the lower center of the _Far Star_'s main control board. "See for yourself. I've half a mind to register a formal complaint with the Cooperative over this."

Dolan scoffed, "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad." Then he read the message and his own expression grew dark. "They can't be serious."

"We'll find out soon enough. I sent a request for confirmation to the sector office. It'll take a few hours, so if you have something to do in the city, you'd best get it done quickly. If they are serious, we'll have to leave right away." The aging pilot grumbled and thumped the screen again. "And the Durminovs were going to have Nareena and I over for Republic Day too."

Kell turned to look wistfully out of the transparisteel canopy at the dark clouds rolling in off the sea. "Even if we don't have to leave right away, better make it quick. Looks like a nasty storm coming in."

He had rested a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder before turning and going to his cramped room on the freighter. Touching a control panel, Dolan extended his sleeping pad from the wall and sat down on it, pulling open a drawer as he did so. From within the drawer he withdrew an unfortunately well-used blaster in an worn leather holster, glowstick, datapad, and a seamless wood box covered in elaborate carvings. Setting the box down almost reverently next to himself, he buckled the blaster around his waist, checking that the gun wasn't caught on anything and would come out swiftly if needed.

With a heavy sigh he stood and opened the small closet next to the drawers, taking his long brown coat out and slipping it on. The datapad and glowstick went into the left pocket, and while he was at it, Dolan checked to make sure he still had his credchip and comlink in their belt pouches. They were there. Satisfied he had everything after one last careful patting down, he turned his attention to the wood box.

Picking it up, he held it clasped in both hands and touched the small face of the rectangular box to his forehead. The carvings on the surface were reassuringly warm to the touch, and whispered to his fingers of times long ago, before his days as co-pilot of the _Far Star_.

"Someday I'll find you." He whispered to the box as he lowered it. "Someday I'll remember. But keep sleeping for now."

The words were barely audible, and after a last look at the box, he tucked it back into the drawer, sliding it shut and sealing it. Dolan trusted Kell, he really did, but he couldn't risk Kell finding that box. Not yet. Maybe in a couple more years he could share that part of his past, but not yet.

"Kell, I'm going out, should be back in a few hours. Buzz me if you need anything before then." Dolan spoke into the intercom in his room.

_"Alright. With any luck the crates will be here and loaded by the time you get back so we can start towards Ord Cantrell tonight."_

"Sounds good." Touching the intercom off, Dolan glanced around his room once more to make sure everything was in its place, then opened the door and made his way to the loading ramp and out into the bustling streets of Rena.

- - - - - -

_ There's a hole in the wall  
With a light shining in  
And it's letting me know to get up  
It's time to begin _


	3. Chapter 2: The Calm Before the Storm

Dolan inhaled deeply as he stepped out of the _Far Star_'s open cargo bay into the hot, damp air of Kodai. The air was thick with the smell of the sea, overlaid with all the smells of the busy spaceport and the hundreds of people within, and faintly under all of that was the moist, fresh smell of the approaching storm. For a moment he closed his eyes and drew in the silence of their open-roofed bay before opening the entrance to the port itself and a wall of sound washed over him. He let the sounds meld with the smells and become background as he strode out into the esk wing of the spaceport.

As he walked down the wide corridor into the hub, Dolan dodged several large lifter droids carrying a number of large crates bearing the crest of one of the local fisheries. They never made the corridors wide enough in spaceports. Not that it really mattered all that much, he wasn't in charge of moving the cargo within the port, just from one to another. Emerging into the central hub of the port, he glanced up at the display monitor over the main entrance/exit. Nothing too exciting going on in Rena today, at least, not where he was headed. Still, one could never be too cautious, and he checked to make sure his blaster was free in its holster as he left the spaceport.

Exiting the spaceport, Dolan veered off to the left, heading in the direction of his friend's shop. Hopefully Ora Klorin had her shop open today, although he probably should have commed her to find out. Oh well. The Kel Dor had dependable hours, and Dolan couldn't remember the last time he had been in Rena and her shop hadn't been open. Of course, before she had come to Kodai and put a focus to her eccentricity...

Dolan snapped his hand backwards to grip the wrist of the Rodian who was trying to pick his pocket. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The Rodian struggled and tried to get away as Dolan turned to face him. [Don't kill me! Don't kill me! It shouted in Huttese.

"You're not worth the price of the shot." Dolan spoke evenly. "Now get out of here and don't try that again." As he finished he shoved the Rodian back roughly, knocking the alien to the ground. Then he turned and kept walking, not caring to watch as the would-be pickpocket scrambled to its feet and ran off. Dolan snorted. "Idiot," he murmured under his breath.

What had he been thinking about before? He couldn't remember. That was fine, probably wasn't anything important anyways. Seeing he was close to the shop, he started walking again, humming one of his favorite classical pieces from Empress Teta.

Not only was Ora's shop open, but she was standing outside the entrance arranging several odd flowers in a large window box. "You do realize that the moment you go back into the store, they'll get stolen."

"If the thief is wearing a breather, maybe. But I doubt that just anyone could make off with a one of these Dorian spitting lillies." Ora didn't turn around to face Dolan as she spoke. "Master Amtar, really, you must have more faith in people and their capabilities."

"Ora, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Dolan?" He walked up and tried to glance over he shoulder at one of the flowers but was intercepted by a hand and pushed aside.

"As many times as I have to remind you not to stick your unprotected face in front of anything that has 'spitting', 'biting', or other nonfriendly name." The Kel Dor turned and gave Dolan what he could only assume was a withering glare from behind her eye protectors. "Your drugs are in the orange bottle on the counter. I'll be there in a minute."

Dolan started to ask how she had known he would be here, but thought the better of it and quietly entered the shop. He was relatively confidant that Ora wasn't a Force-user, but still, the way she just knew things was unsettling at times.

Ora's shop was dim and thick with the scent of plants. Bundles of dried leaves, bulbs, and stems hung from the ceiling while shelves and bins were full of live plants in various pots, tubes, and globes. Behind the long counter that stretched the length of the back of the shop there rose a high set of shelves filled with bottles of liquids, as well as leaves, petals, stems, and roots in various stages of disassembly. The whole place with its still, ancient air seemed out of place in a bustling city like Rena.

True to her word, a small orange bottle sat alone in the middle of the counter. Dolan considered ti for a moment, glanced back over his shoulder with a slight grimace, then picked up the bottle. A quick shake revealed the presence of at least a dozen pills within. Turning around to face the door, Dolan leaned back against the counter and opened the bottle, spilling several of the orange tabs into the palm of his hand.

Tipping all but one of them back into the bottle, Dolan replaced the cap and twisted his hand, catching the lone pill in midair. More out of rote than curiosity he held it up to the light spilling in from the door. "You know," he said loudly, "I think I preferred the purple ones better. Why do you keep changing the color?"

Ora did not reply right away, waiting instead for a few moments more to finish with the flowers outside before gathering her tools back up and reentering her shop. "One would think that with your learnings, you would know the answer." The Kel Dor brushed past him as she went behind the counter and began replacing her tools.

Dolan turned again, this time resting both arms on the counter, and smirked. "Yeah, yeah. You were able to get fresh Lessna wood from Naboo this time. The artificial stuff's not so bad, you know."

A large peach finger was shaken in his face. "You try my patience."

The smirk became a genuine smile. "You know you love me, Ora."

She dismissed the statement with a wave of her hand. "That changes nothing. Tell me, what have you been dreaming that brings you to me?"

He put the last pill away and set the bottle on the counter, twisting it idly. For long long while he said nothing, trying to organize his thoughts and put them into some coherent sense. "I'm not entirely sure. I can't remember much when I wake up. Just flashes of the war, the middle of battles. But more than that. Voices, things I can't explain or understand. And Kell keeps telling me I start screaming in Mado'a."

"What else?" Ora asked evenly after Dolan was silent.

Dolan ran a hand through his hair. "Sometimes when I wake up my bunk looks like it's been torn apart. Drawers opened and my things just scattered about the room. Other times when I wake I'm clutching that damnned box."

Ora very carefully caught his gaze from behind her eye protectors. "I told you that box was dangerous since we found it on that shuttle. You should know better than to keep Sith artifacts around. I'm sure the Jedi would pay handsomely for it."

"Or they'd arrest me and simply take it." Dolan said with a glare. "Besides, I've done some checking. The box I have is solid wood, or so _Far Star_'s cargo scanners say. Once I find the actual holder of Darth Caries' lightsaber crystal, then we can talk about trying to sell it. Although..."

"Although what?" Her voice was laced lightly with concern.

Dolan picked up the bottle again. "It's probably nothing, at least, I hope it's nothing."

The Kel Dor's body language showed she didn't believe him.

"The Cooperative relayed a set of Republic orders to us. I can't say much, but if the orders are confirmed, we'll have to go to the Core for a while."

"You can make good money in the Core. Why are you so worried?"

Dolan frowned. "I don't know, I just have a bad feeling about this. Why the _Far Star_? We're well respected by the Cooperative, but even so, we're one of the smallest ships, certainly the smallest crew. Why would they give us this?"

His commlink interrupted him. With a heavy sigh he snatched it out of its pocket. "What is it?

_"The orders were confirmed. Local office sent someone over to personally confirm them. Better get back soon, cargo's due to arrive within the hour and we need to be in the air immediately."_

"I'm on my way back, Kell. Don't leave without me."

Kell's warm chuckle lightened the room's atmosphere. _"I'll try not to, but no guarantees. See you soon."_

The commlink clicked off and Dolan looked back at Ora. "Want anything if we hit Coruscant?"

"Many things. But none I think you could afford. Maybe deliver this to the Jedi?" She held out a datapad. "I would like to deliver it myself, but with all my work, I don't have the time."

He held it like it was a live nexu. "The Jedi?"

"I made a friend of one of their healers many years ago, and have recently learned things that may be of interest to her."

"Alright, I'll deliver it. Want a lightsaber while I'm at it?" The sarcasm wasn't light.

"Haven't lost my last one yet, so that won't be necessary." Ora said in such a way as Dolan wasn't quite sure if she was joking or not and was definitely sure he didn't want to find out.

"Alright. How much do I owe you?"

"I will soon run out of patience telling you that I give you those out of friendship, and will not charge you for them. Now go, Kell seemed to have more to tell you. May the Force be with you on your journey."

"The Force can leave me well enough alone, thank you." Dolan snapped before saying a quiet goodbye and walking sullenly from the shop and back to the _Far Star_.

* * *

_It's standing there, the symbol and the sum of all that's me  
It's just a travesty, towering, blocking out the light and blinding me  
I want to see_


	4. Chapter 3: The First Drops

"When do we get the cargo?" Dolan asked Kell as he leaped up the last few stairs and entered the cockpit.

Kell swiveled his chair around and fixed Dolan with a hostile stare, spinning a datapad in his hands. "The main cargo's already in the hold."

Dolan didn't quite know what to make of that. "There's only three crates in the cargo hold. What is it we're transporting?"The datapad hit him square in the chest, and he fumbled to catch it before it hit the ground. He thumbed it on and looked over the manifest it displayed. "Three cubic meters archaeological supplies. That's it? We're being forced to go to the Core to deliver a package that the Republic could have shipped with a shuttle?"

"Dolan, calm down!" Kell snatched the datapad back and set it down on his console. "They've given us a flight plan as well. We're making six stops on the way into the Core: Naboo, Tatooine, Telos, Ossus, Onderon, Korriban, and finally ending at Empress Teta."

"Impossible." The word fell quietly from Dolan's mouth.

Obviously not having heard him, Kell continued on. "They wouldn't say so, but it looks to me like we're picking up cargo at each step. Although why we're going to those worlds, I don't know." With a heavy sigh, he shrugged and lifted a hand to Dolan. "You're ex-military, what do you think?"

It took a long moment for Dolan to clear his throat and recollect his thoughts. Most of those worlds weren't anything important, but a few were setting off some very serious warnings in his mind. "I... I'm not entirely sure. It would make sense for them to move sensitive cargo by civilian means to avoid suspicion. Although, if we transfer the crates on and off at each stop, we could be cover for the actual moving of supplies."

Turning to the astrogation computer's display panel to his left, he pulled up the flight plan and studied it for several minutes, mulling over in his mind what he knew of those worlds. "Hiring a number of transports would arouse more suspicion than a single transport moving supplies. It wouldn't arouse as much local suspicion either, not like a Republic cruiser showing up to ferry archaeological finds. My only concerns would be what it is we're transporting."

Pulling himself to his feet, Kell picked the datapad back up and headed towards the stairs out of the cockpit. His walk was lighter than it had been before, but not by much. "I'm going to go check the engines. We're lifting off in half an hour, so make sure the cargo's secure."

As Kell left the cockpit, Dolan sighed heavily and sank into his copilot's chair. Something was bothering Kell a lot, and it wasn't the extended absence this trip would cause. His family was on Naboo; they could easily bring them along for the trip. It was something else, something he wasn't sharing. Dolan thumped himself on the forehead and looked at the computer interface in the top middle of his control panel. There would be time to contemplate this on the way to Naboo. Right now there were more important things to take care of.

Calling up the port computer, he punched in their departure time and started to settle their landing fees, only to discover that Kell had already done both. Odd. Usually Kell left that to him. This cargo run was already shaping up to be far more interesting than Dolan liked. It was the reason he had decided to sign on with the Outer Rim Trading Cooperative: there wasn't much excitement to be had ferrying goods on the Enarc Run to and from Naboo.

With one last check to make sure that the departure time was set, Dolan lifted himself out of his chair. It was time to make sure that the cargo was secured properly. The way the Republic was acting about it, any damage would probably end with criminal, civil, and every other type of charges being pressed. Anger started to smolder just above the surface of his mind and Dolan muttered a few choice phrases in Huttese as he left the cockpit.

There was something familiar about the crates, even beyond them being the same as so many other crates he had shipped between worlds. Something... resonated with Dolan, within his spirit, something dark. Something hungry.

Shaking his head vigorously to drive the feeling out, Dolan checked the locks and straps that held the crates to the deck. Satisfied with the security of the cargo, he wasted no time returning to the cockpit.

Kell was just arriving as well, wiping his hands on a rag that was then stuffed into a back pocket. "Cargo secure?"

"Yes." Dolan answered flatly. "Let's get out of here. The sooner we get rid of these the better, although I wouldn't be opposed to them having an 'accident' on the way."

"Something wrong with them?" Kell asked as he thumped down in the pilot's chair and began prelaunch sequences.

Dolan crossed his arms and leaned forward against the back of the co-pilot's chair, bracing himself against the upcoming launch. "Whatever we're transporting is heavily tainted by the dark side of the force."

Kell's eyes narrowed, but her didn't say anything as he guided the _Far Star_ up and out of Kodai's atmosphere. Once stars burned brightly through the canopy, he turned to face Dolan. "I thought you said you weren't force-sensitive."

"I said that for all intents and purposes I'm not force-sensitive. According to the Jedi I barely even fit their definition of sensitive. That's what worries me. If I was able to clearly sense the taint, it's like a man who's blind suddenly noticing there's light because his sun went nova. Plus, it reacted to my presence. Didn't feel a thing until I started checking the lock and then it was like whatever it is was trying to reach me."

"Why would it want to try and reach you?"

Dolan shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it thinks I'm prime Dark Lord material." He let out a short bark of laughter at the absurdity of the thought.

Kell snorted. "They've really lowered their standards, haven't they? Hold on, jumping." He made several deft adjustments to the control board, checked the navicomputer, nodded, then lifted the cover over the hyperdrive's engage switch, and threw it.

A few silent minutes later, he confirmed that they'd made the jump without a problem. Then with a sigh, Kell stood and turned to Dolan. "Well, that's that. I'm hungry, let's eat."

"Sounds good. But I want to check out the crates afterwards. I need to see what's in there." Dolan stood and started for the stairs.

Following right behind him, Kell asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Not in the least." Dolan replied, finally shedding his coat and tossing it casually onto the semicircular couch against the fall wall of the common area. As he did so, a vision suddenly gripped him: an orange streak of light against darkness and the sound of voices crying out in pain.

"I have to know." He murmured softly, then turned and went to his quarters.

"How about nerfsteak? Haven't had that in a while." Kell called from the kitchen area. "Dolan? You okay?"

Poking his head back into the common area, he saw Dolan missing. "Oh hell..."

- - - - -

_As I stand in your presence_

_I can feel quiet patience on your gaze_

_Like an old superstition_

_You are haunting all my dreams an' waking days_


	5. Chapter 4: The Rain Begins

"Dolan, don't do this. You know how expensive breaches of contract can be." Kell stood in front of the crates, arms crossed.

Dolan's hand tightened on the wood box had held at his side. "You don't understand. Kell, if this-"

Kell stabbed a finger towards Dolan. "No, you don't understand. We can't just go opening crates that belong to the Republic, especially to the Jedi, just because we get bad feelings about them."

That brought Dolan up short halfway between the stairs and Kell. "Jedi? You never mentioned Jedi before."

"Three of them delivered the crates. I ran the credentials twice."

Dolan swore. "You should have told me. I'd've stayed on Kodai."

Kell dropped his guard some, rocking back on his heels. "Dolan..."

Out of nowhere a voice spoke quietly in Dolan's mind. _"He denies you what you want. Destroy him."_

His eyes widened at the voice. It was completely alien and yet very familiar. "No, I won't."

_"Are you simply going to let him deny you the knowledge that is rightfully yours? Those crates contain the answers to the questions you've been asking yourself all these years. Are you really going to just let him stop you?"_

"No. But... I won't hurt him." As Dolan answered the voice, Kell said something, but Dolan wasn't paying any attention to him.

_"Make him stand aside then. You have the power."_

"Kell, please, get out of my way. I don't want to do anything I'll regret, but I have to see what's in those crates."

"Fine. Alright. I don't know what's gotten into you, but fine, take a look. But if the Republic doesn't like you messing with its cargo, I'm not taking any of the rap. This one's all yours."

"Okay. Help me get them unlocked and opened." The voice in Dolan's head scoffed indignantly but otherwise remained silent.

It took several minutes to unlock the crate's side and open it. Once it was open, the two looked in to see half a dozen clear blocks suspended in an internal repulsor field. Each of the blocks contained a pyramidal crystal and metal sculpture that glowed faintly with an internal light.

"Holocrons." The single word Kell spoke said volumes. "No wonder they wanted to keep this quiet. Sith artifacts are prime targets for pirates." He turned to Dolan. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier."

"It's fine. I didn't want to believe it was true myself. It's not in here. Let's check the others."

The next crate was exactly like the first: half a dozen holocrons embedded in clear blocks and suspended in a repulsor field. The third, however, was different. Two holocrons were suspended inside this one, and in addition to them were a number of other artifacts: a skull mask in a block, a metal case marked "clothing," another marked "parts (lightsaber?)," a third marked "miscellaneous," and one last item. It was encased in a clear block as well, and when Dolan saw it, he immediately pulled it out. Except for being more worn, it matched to every last detail the wood block he held.

"What is that thing?" Kell asked.

Dolan walked to the side of the crate and sat down, leaning back against it, his expression one of shock and amazement. "If I'm right, this is Darth Caries' lightsaber crystal. In fact, these must all be his. Incredible."

"Why were you looking for this crystal?" Sitting down next to Dolan, Kell looked at the boxes his friend was cradling.

"Back when I was with the Republic Navy, I was stationed aboard an old Foray-class that was checking an asteroid field for pirates rumored to be in the area. We found a shuttle drifting in the asteroids, thought maybe it was a survivor from a raid, and decided to check it out. Turned out the shuttle had been there for a couple of centuries and there was no one aboard. The interior of the shuttle was practically destroyed, looked like there had been electrical arcing all over. All the computer systems were fried too, we couldn't get anything out of them. There was only one thing not destroyed in the whole shuttle: this block of wood."

"How'd you find out it what it was?"

Dolan shifted against the crate, handing the block of wood to Kell. He held the clear block up to the light, as if examining it for flaws. "I didn't for a long time. Ora got assigned to our ship a few months later, and when she saw the block she went nuts, asking me how I could dare to keep a Sith artifact on a Republic ship. Told her I didn't know what it was, found it on a shuttle and it looked interesting, so I kept it. Well, long story short, turned out that it was a replica of some ritual lightsaber crustal holder for one of Exar Kun's Sith underlings. Sent a report back to the Republic to that extent, and we got reassigned to track down the original. Another long story later, and after nearly getting killed by some Jedi we were working with, I resigned from the Navy, found myself on the Rim, and you know the rest."

"I see." The two words hung in the still air of the cargo bay for several minutes, pilot and co-pilot each looking down at the block they held and thinking. At long last Kell broke the silence with a joke.

"You know," he began with a wave of the block in Dolan's direction. "That still doesn't explain the whole mango thing. "

Dolan smirked, but didn't rise to the jab. "No, no it doesn't. I have this nasty feeling though that if I ever do find out what's causing it, I'll regret ever asking the question in the first place."

"So long as this stuff isn't yours, I think we'll be okay." Kell gestured at the crate with the wood block before handing it back to Dolan.

His friend's gaze didn't rise from the clear block he held. "And if it is?"

There was another uncomfortable silence as Kell tried to decide what to make of the comment. Then Dolan started to laugh. Kell took a mock swipe at him. "Not funny."

"Sorry, couldn't resist." Dolan got to his feet. "You said something about nerfsteak?"

"Yeah. We've got a couple left. Want me to get them going?"

With a nod Dolan turned back to the crate. "Sure. I'll get this cleaned up and resealed. Have to remember to let Ora know what we were hauling when we get back to Kodai."

As be began to put the clear blocks back into the crate, Kell turned and went up to the common room. The moment he was out of the cargo bay, Dolan stopped working. He held the crystal holder's cube up and squinted at it.

_"Take what is yours"_ The dark voice said in his mind. _"You know how. You've always known."_

Dolan hesitated, glanced up to make sure that Kell hadn't come back, then put his other hand on top of the cube and twisted, thinking about the molecular structure of the polymer shell dissolving. It did, and Dolan stared in wonder at the wood box in his grasp. With a trembling hand he flipped the lid open to reveal a deep red crystal sitting on a velvet interior. The crystal was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It seemed to pulse with an inner light and call out to him with familiarity.

_"You ran because the Jedi wanted to train you. They wanted to turn you into a mindless slave to their will. You have great power inside of you, all you have to do is unlock it."_

Mouth dry, Dolan shook his head reflexively, closed the box and started to put it back in the crate. As he did so, his hand brushed against the clear cube of one of the holocrons in the crate. It lit up and a small holographic figured rose from the top of it. The figure wore battle-scarred armor under a black robe, and its face was obscured by a skull mask identical to the one in the crate. "Darth Caries."

"This is a record of the knowledge of Darth Caries. If you seek power, you will find it here. If you seek truth, you will find it here. But first you must prove yourself worthy." The figure spoke, arms crossed across its chest. "Present your lightsaber."

"I-I don't have one." Dolan stammered, stunned by the apparition before him. Maybe this holocron could tell him what his dreams meant.

The figure shook its head slowly. "You have failed the first test. Correct your error or do not return."

As the figure finished speaking, it flickered and winked out of existence. The voice spoke to Dolan again: _"Your answers are there. All you have to do is reach out and take hold of them."_

When Dolan finally entered the common area, Kell was already eating. "What took you so long?"

Dolan almost told him the truth, but decided that Kell wouldn't understand. "Had to put my keepsake away. Don't like leaving it out in the open too long."

As Kell nodded and returned to eating, Dolan frowned inside. It didn't feel right to lie to his friend. But how could he have told Kell the truth? Kell didn't want him to open the crates in the first place, how would he react if he knew about the holocron and the disassembled lightsaber in his room. Or about what the dark voice was already teaching him about power.

- - - - -

_Lying, hate, and pain  
All part of the devil's game  
Got his foot inside the door..._


	6. Chapter 5: Lightning Strikes

Sith Academy, Bothawui

"I sense a disturbance in the Force." The meter-tall hologram of an armored Zabrak Sith Lord flickered, casting eerie shadows in the dark cell.

"I have felt it too, my Lord." Cheana Kyt'al, the Zabrak's Bothan apprentice, knelt before the image, not daring to look up at it. "What does it mean?"

"A powerful Force-user has emerged. But this is not your concern. You have heard of the theft of Darth Caries' artifacts by the Republic?"

"I have, my Lord."

The Zabrak crossed her arms. "Our spies have located the artifacts. They will be transported through the Naboo system. A sqaud of assassins and a cruiser have been assigned to you. Go and recover the artifacts. Do not fail me."

"I will not, my Lord."

Cheana bowed her head lower until the hum of the hologram stopped. As the hologram's disappearance returned her cell to a comforting pseudo-darkness, Cheana rose to stand tall before the projector. Closing her eyes and extending her mind, she quickly felt the familiar pulse of the Dark Side whispering promises of strength and power. Her mind still open to the Dark Side, Cheana stripped out of her grey training uniform. The Bothan smoothed her fur before donning the drab-colored armor she had designed upon her apprenticeship. A flick of her mind and a lightsaber jumped from the sleeping mat to her hand.

The hilt was a cold and familiar weight in her hand, the incomplete black-inked characters etched into the hilt pressing into her palm reassuringly. With a harsh snap-hiss a meter-long blade of shining red shot from the emitter, casting a bloody pall over the cell. She began to move slowly, deliberately, beginning the first set of drills to reacquaint herself with the armor, exercises which Cheana executed perfectly until the assassins came to escort her to the ship.

- - - - -

_Hammerhead_-class cruiser _Vethu Toreg-Khana_, Ryloth

A shaft of light speared into the darkened room, falling across the sleeping Twi'lek. This shaft was swiftly drowned out as the room's lights came up. The intruding crewman addressed the Twi'lek as she sat up in bed.

"Sorry to wake you at this hour, but your presence is required in the conference room."

"Thank you. I'll be along shortly."

As the crewman exited, Quell yawned, stretched, and rolled out of bed. Slipping into a casual bodywrap over which she fitted her belt and its twin copper-shod lightsabers. Pausing long enough to flip her left lekku forward and around her neck, Quell hurried to the conference room.

The central oval table of the conference room was large enough to comfortably seat two dozen. An embedded holoprojector hummed, displaying two Jedi Masters, a brown and grey wookie and a human male with a flaming red mane of hair.. They were engaged in a hushed conversation as Quell entered.

"Master Hrrorras, Master Syphon, what is the will of the council?" Quell asked, bowing as she came to stand before the projections.

Master Syphon stepped forward and nodded to Quell. "Some very sensitive cargo is being transported to a secure location for study. The council has reason to believe that the Sith will attempt to intercept the cargo at Naboo. You are to proceed to Naboo where you will take custody of the transport, cargo, and flight plan until the cargo has been safely delivered."

Quell nodded, turning the information over in her mind. "What are they transporting?"

"That information is restricted. All you need to know is that the Sith cannot be allowed to capture this cargo. Use any means necessary to ensure that it does not fall into their hands. A strike force currently on patrol in the Bothan Border is being diverted to assist you, but until they arrive you are on your own." The Jedi master paused, glanced over at Master Hrrorras, then back at Quell. "May the Force be with you."

Quell returned the farewell and activated the comm unit as the hologram flickered out. "Commander, our orders have changed. Set course for the Naboo system."

- - - - -

Open space, Naboo orbit

The space around Naboo was empty. Then, abruptly, it was no longer empty, that emptiness replaced by a sleek, twin-hulled _Interdictor_-class cruiser. As the ship settled in realspace, a swarm of interceptors streamed from the cruiser to take up combat formation around it, screening the _Interdictor_ as it moved towards the planet.

Barely had the fighters assumed their position than another ship appeared above Naboo, streaking in almost perpendicular to the _Interdictor_. Closing in rapidly, the _Vethu Toreg-Khana_ began to open fire, sending green lances streaming towards the Sith ship as Aurek fighters scrambled to engage the interceptors. Within moments the _Interdictor_ was returning fire, red streaks shooting back towards the _Vethu_. A field of explosions blossomed between the two ships as the fighters met between them.

On the bridge of the _Inquisitor_, Cheana stood with arms clasped behind her back, listening to the shouts of the crew and the eddies of the Force. Interesting, there was a Jedi on the other ship. Was this the ship transporting the artifacts?

"Captain, disable that ship, then bring us within tractor beam range." She spoke softly.

The _Inquisitor_'s captain didn't hear her and continued to shout orders to his crew. His orders ceased abruptly as Cheana Force gripped his throat and dragged him across the bridge to hang face-to-face with her. "Captain," she hissed, "I said to disable that ship and bring up within tractor beam range."

Gasping and nodding vigorously as he collapsed, the captain shouted for ion cannons.

Across the battle, Quell stood on the bridge of the _Vethu_ with her arms crossed, leaning against a bank of consoles. She focused on the growing spot of light that was the enemy ship, searching through the Force for any indication of who was aboard. Her concentration was broken by the voice of the _Vethu_'s captain.

"They've started firing ion cannons."

"Shut down essential systems, bring the backups online. Prepare for boarding and inform the troops that Sith will be leading the assault."

The captain nodded and smiled thinly. "Understood. I'll have the cargo hold rigged with explosives as well. If they manage to get past you, we'll at least take some of them with us."

Quell grinned. "Good thinking. If you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for the battle."

"Of course." The captain turned and began barking orders again as Quell left the bridge.

Breaking through the thinning dogfight, the _Vethu_ continued to dive towards the _Inquisitor_, cannons blazing. Though its shielding was still operational, some of the _Inquisitor'_s fire was getting through, scoring long, dark gashes along the red and white hull. Its own fire splattered across the _Inquisitor_'s shielding, punching through occasionally to leave scorched craters on the silver hull.

The _Vethu_'s shields failed and purple electricity played across the scarred hill as ion cannons did their damage, killing running lights, weapons, and computers. Then the tractor beams caught the _Vethu_ as the _Inquisitor_ rolled. Before long, the two ships were joined by docking tubes.

With a shower of sparks and molten metal the red blade bit deeply into the sealed airlock hatch. On both sides soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons and re sighted at the nearly carved-through hatch. The blade hissed back to its starting point and withdrew, leaving the hatch hanging in space. On the Republic's side there was a moment of confusion that quickly vanished as the hatch suddenly rocketed into the waiting troopers. Bodies went sprawling as the hatch bounced down the corridor accompanied by a hail of fire from the Sith soldiers. Abruptly the hatch stopped as Quell slammed it into the floor. Her blades hummed to life and began to parry blaster bolts.

Smoke began to fill the corridor, adding to the confusion of the blaster shots and the cries of the wounded, obscuring the vision of those within. Cheana and Quell had no such difficulty, their connection to the Force guiding their blades as they parried shots and struck down enemy soldiers. Inexorably the two drew near each others, blades little more than swirls of light in the smoke-filled corridor. With a loud crash the two met, swirls becoming beams for a moment as Jedi and Sith met in battle.


End file.
